Glossary of Mortage Loan Terms

Abstract, or Abstract of Title: A historical summary of all the recorded instruments
and proceedings that affect the title of a property.
 
Closing: A meeting at which all documents are signed and all expenses are paid to
transfer ownership or property. Also called a "settlement".
 
Deed: The legal document conveying title to a property.
 
Deed of Trust: The legal document used in some states instead of a mortgage; title
is vested in a trustee to secure repayment of the loan.
 
Equity: A homeowner's financial interest in a property. Equity is the difference
between the fair market value of the property and the amount still owed on any home loans or liens against the property.
 
Escrow: An Item of value, money, or documents deposited with a third party to be
delivered upon fulfillment of a condition. For example, the deposit by a borrower with
the lender of funds to pay taxes and insurance premiums when they become due, or
ther deposit of funds or documents with an attorney or escrow agent to be disbursed upon the closing of a sale of real estate.
 
Fannie Mae: The Federal National Mortgage Association, a New York Stock Exchange company and the largest non-bank financial services company in the world. It operates pursuant to a federal charter and is the nation's largest source of financing for home mortgages. It adds liquidity to the mortgage market by investing in home loans throughout the country.
 
First Mortgage: A mortgage that has priority as a lien over all other mortgages.
 
Freddie Mac: The Federal Home Loan Mortageg Corporation. A federal agency within
the Deprtment of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which insures residential
mortgage loans made by private lenders and sets standards for underwriting mortgage loans.
 
HUD: The Department of Housing and Urban Development was established by
Congress in 1965 and is responsible for the implementation and administration of
government housing and urban development programs. These programs include
community planning and development, housing production and mortgage insurance
(FHA), secondary mortgage market activities (GNMA) and equal opportunity in
housing.
 
HUD-1 Settlement Statement: A document that provides an itemized listing of the
funds that are payable at closing. Items that appear on the statement include real
estate comissions, loan fees, points, and initial escrow amounts. Each item on the
statement is represented by a seperate number within a standardized numbering
system. The totals at the bottom of the HUD-1 Statement define the seller's net
proceeds and the buyer's net payment at closing. The blank form for the statement is published by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The HUD-1
statement is also know as the "closing statement" or "settlement sheet".
 
Line of Credit: An agreement whereby a financial institution promises to lend up to a certain amount without the need to file another application.
 
Lock-in: A written agreement in which the lender guarantees a specified loan program interest rate and points if a mortgage goes to closing within a set period of time.
 
Lock-in Period: The time period during which the lender has guaranteed an interest
rate to a borrower.
 
Mortgage: A legal document that pledges a property to the lender as security for
payment of a debt.
 
Mortgage Banker: A company that originates, sells and services mortgages
exclusively for resale in the secondary mortgage market.

Qualifying Ratios:  Guidelines used by lenders to determine how much of a loan a home buyer qualifies for. Often referred to as debt-to-income ratios (or DTI).

 
Quitclaim Deed: A deed that transfers, without warranty of ownership, whatever
interest or title a grantor may have at the time the conveyance is made.
 
Recission: The act of cancellation or annulment of a transaction or contract by the
operation of a law. Borrowers usually have the option to cancel certain credit
transactions, including a refinance or home equity transaction, within three business
days after consummation (when the consumer becomes contractually obligated by,
for example, signing the loan documents).
 
Refinance Transaction: The process of paying off one loan with the procees from a
new loan, typically using the same property as security for the new loan.
 
Second Mortgage: A subordinated lien created by a mortgage laon, over the amount of the first mortgage. Second mortgages are used to reduce the amount of a cash down payment or in refinancing to raise cash.
 
Title: A legal document evidencing a person's right to or ownership of a property.
 
Title Company: A company that specializes in examining and insuring titles to real
estate.

Title Insurance Policy:  A policy designed to protect the buyer or lender after closing from financial losses arising from any defects in the title that may have occurred prior to purchase.

Title Search:  A check of public record to disclose the past and current facts regarding ownership of a particular piece of property.

Transfer Tax:  In some areas city, county or state taxes imposed when property passes from one person to another.

Underwriting:  The process of evaluating a loan application to determine the risk involved for the lender.